America's Longest War is Against the Black Men Who Live in This Country

America's longest military conflict was not the 20 year war against Afghanistan 'The Taliban', indeed America's longest running war is the over 400 year old domestic racist war against Black men!

Black Men Let Us Take A Look At Religious Manipulation

by Kenny Anderson

I wrote this post to highlight ‘religious manipulation’ both specifically and in general. From my perspective when Dion ‘Prime Time’ Sanders was hired as Jackson State University (JSU) ‘some’ of his religious rhetoric was not genuine.

Regarding being at JSU Sanders said: “I truly believe with all my heart and soul that God called me collect and I had to accept the charges.” Coach Prime said he was at JSU to “Change lives, change the perspective of HBCU [Historically Black College or University] football. Make everyone step up to the plate and do what’s right by these kids.”

Furthermore, Sander’s said that coaching at JSU was not about the money, it was for a much ‘nobler’ cause; that he was already wealthy; sources estimate that Sander’s has a net worth of 40 million dollars.

Yes, from my perspective Coach Prime used some religious manipulation to play on the religious sentiments of Black folks in Jackson, MS (bible belt) and that he was also somewhat deceptive ‘over exaggerating’ being a Dr. King type advocate for HBCUs football programs – leveling the racial playing field.

Many Black folks in Jackson, MS are not mad that Coach Prime ‘left’ accepted the over 5 million dollars a year head coaching job at the University of Colorado; they are disappointed in his incongruities and integrity; they now feel from when he began coaching at JSU there was some religious manipulation.

Religious Manipulation

Religious manipulation are techniques used by individuals and church leaders to influence, control, and exploit for their own self-serving agendas ‘advantages’. Unfortunately, from racist slave plantations to the present, Black folks have been oppressed, exploited, and manipulated by religion.

All my adult life I’ve witnessed first-hand too many Black folks so-called strong in their Christian faith (preachers, evangelists, politicians, etc.) in my community and many places elsewhere religiously manipulate Black communities, who've used God's name to justify their enriching actions.

Many religious Black folks are unaware that they are being taken advantage of; here are some examples of religious manipulation techniques:

*Demanding obedience, submission, and loyalty

*Playing on guilt, grief, vulnerabilities, and hardships

*Punishing, humiliating, shaming, and isolating the disobedient

*Fear mongering and the threat of hell to keep people in the faith

*Taking Scriptures out of context in order to support narrow beliefs

*Attributing everything they’re doing to God thereby it must be right

*Touting they have a special calling or favor from God that justifies and refutes

*Discouraging critical thinking and blocking out any questioning information

*Negating reasoning by fostering sensationalism through highly emotional sermonizing

*Controlling individuals by giving them the impression that their teachings are based on the Bible

*Isolating “proof texts” and “cherry pick” Bible verses to persuade the uninformed that their interpretation is right

*Using Scripture and scholastic dishonesty to manipulate for their own personal benefit.

*Twisting Scripture to give more authority to the leadership and keep the members under their control.

In closing, from my perspective the greatest tool of religious manipulation used on Black folks is emotional manipulation that’s due to ‘emotional dependency’. People who are emotionally dependent are insecure, can be guilt-ridden, and often ashamed; have fears of being rejected, ignored, not liked, or criticized.

In contrast, emotional independence is about having self-esteem and self-confidence; being autonomous and governing your own emotions through reason and critical thinking.

Unfortunately, emotional independence is little discussed in everyday life in Black communities resulting in a lot of psycho-emotional and social problems along with being susceptible to manipulation due to a lack of emotional management 'caught-up in our feelings'.

Black folks let us get control of our emotions!

Black Men: What Types of Black Kings Are We?

“Black men in America who view themselves as 'Righteous Kings' (not self-righteous) have outlooks that ‘Life’ is way-way greater than themselves, they have humility! That they have a greater sense of purpose of serving their people and fighting for self-determination ‘freedom’! They have a bigger vision and mission of developing land, institutions, businesses, security defenses, communities, and families. For righteous Black Kings ‘Life’ means much-much more to them than being money-bag chasers, ego-inflaters ‘meism’, set-trippers, consumer-slaves, expensive whip-riders, drip-dressers, pussy go-getters, and easy-flippers ‘treachery’. Righteous Black Kings draw clear lines between themselves and opportunistic 'self-serving' Black money kings, status kings, pulpit kings, and street kings. Indeed, righteous Black Kings live with a mindfulness that they owe freedom-dues debts to their Ancestors and to those yet unborn. Yes being a righteous Black King aint easy for sure, if you can't bear the cross then you don't deserve to wear the loftier purpose crown!" - CNK

Coach Prime's God Talk Was Disingenuous it “Must Be The Money”?

 "Everybody knew Sanders would eventually leave for a bigger stage, and he said as much himself. Nothing wrong with that. But choosing a doormat like Colorado? Really? That sends a message that running a lousy program at a predominantly white school is a better option than leading the best Black one." - Jesse Washington

Drinking the religious Kool Aid is when Black folks are more susceptible to individuals claims or statements because those persons say they received a personal message ‘calling from God' is a fact. Drinking the religious kool-aid is an example of invincible authority fallacy.

Appeal to invincible authority occurs when a God personal revelation claim is made that cannot be proven is accepted because the source of information cannot be questioned; if God reveals some information, He is the Invincible unquestioned Authority, therefore if a person says God put a calling on them it’s ‘case closed’!

I started this post with a drinking the religious kool aid definition as a brief 'angle perspective' in analyzing Deion Sanders ‘Coach Prime’ recent resignation as head coach of Jackson State to take the head coaching position at the University of Colorado.

When coach prime arrived, came to Jackson State University (JSU), he gave Black folks the religious kool aid drink, that he got a calling from God to be at JSU a Black college; that it wasn't about the money $300,00 salary cause he's already rich; that God called him to take a lead in reducing the wide racial sports disparities between major white universities and Historical Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs); that God called him to tell top Black high school football players ‘recruits’ that they can come to HBCUs and flourish.

What’s interesting at a recent press conference at the University of Colorado Coach Prime said he got another ‘calling from God’ to take the 5 million dollar a year coaching job there; he told the almost all white audience that he thanked God for choosing him out of all the persons in the world to be the new head coach at the University of Colorado; the Black student population at the University of Colorado is 2.6 %.

Indeed, Coach Prime accomplished some unprecedented things for the Jackson State University football program and brought significant exposure to the all-Black Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC), however underneath it at all Coach Prime is a opportunistic ‘coach-entertainer’; he was not the transformational leader of Black College Sports Matter; he’s driven internally by the lyrics of his 1994 hit song “Must Be The Money”:

Well all right

Yeah

You know ever since I turned pro in 1989

When I signed the dotted line

People's strange!

'Cause things change

For the better and for the worse

So I called my momma and she said " Baby, "

(Must be the money)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

(Must be the money)

It's got to be good

(Must be the money)

I got people wantin' to be my friends

(Must be the money)

People I never knew

People I never thought about associatin with

I don't what it is

Talk to me

Check it out

Diamond Rolex, with 'gators on my feet

I got two pair for every day of the week

My hair is done, my fingernails too

Six buttons down and I don't know what to do

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's turnin' them on

Must be the money (Must be the money)

You know I can't go wrong

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That keeps me lookin' calm

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's got me rollin' on the strong

Limousines, in first class I fly

I'm livin' large and you know I can't deny (and my ride's)

A drop-top Benz when I'm with my lady friends

My truck's a six-four with my homie's makin' ends

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's got me so tough

Must be the money (Must be the money)

I can't get enough

Of all the money (Must be the money)

These women fall in love

Must be the money (Must be the money)

When I'm kickin' it at the club

Flashing lights on the dance floor

The DJ says my name as I make my intro (and you know)

The place is packed, nowhere to find a seat

But Prime don't worry 'cause I'm sensin' VIP

Must be the money (Must be the money)

I got so much jewels

Must be the money (Must be the money)

Twenty-six with all this loot

Must be the money (Must be the money)

To afford the way I live

Must be the money (Must be the money)

When player's ball is at my crib

And if I make a better mansion on my land

Pools, jacuzzis, and my neighbor's can't stand

The way I live is oh so phat

I got two ladies and Prime Time is all that

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's got me so strong

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's turnin' them on

Must be the money (Must be the money)

You know I can't go wrong

Must be the money (Must be the money)

Come on ladies sing my song

The first thing people say is

Prime, don't let money change you

Don't let money change you

I say hey, don't let money change you

Because personally, It's gonna change my wardrobe,

My phone number, my address

Hey, my snakeskin shoes gonna change into gators

Hey, my library cards gonna change into credit cards

You know what I'm sayin'?

So don't let money change you

Black Men We Still Have Slave Chains To Break

Black men some of the chains that bind us are ego-tripping, titles, white validation and dependency; chains of super-machoism, womanizing, hating, and money-chasing; chains of alcoholism, drug addiction, criminal mentality, narrow-minded religiosity, and debt; chains of lust for clothes, shoes, jewelry, cars, violence, and recognition.

Some Thoughts on Kyrie Irving

 by Kenny Anderson

“Black men have used superior physical ability as well as 'soul and style' not only to thrill and entertain their fellow Americans but also to make money for white owners, yet they have been unable to control their own destinies." – William Rhoden, from his book “Forty Million Dollar Slave”

I got a little something to say about the Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving’s controversy. Let me preface this post by stating I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I don’t support false political, religious, or historical narratives.

In this post I’m not addressing the controversial anti-Semitic movie Kyrie tweeted “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America”, I’m addressing the repercussion of his tweet that from my perspective was over the top: racist, excessive, and emasculating.

Indeed, there are disparate levels of outrage and penalties over anti-Semitism as opposed to anti-Blackness. Kyree Irving stated he was not anti-Semitic and publicly apologized for his tweet, but that was not good enough he was suspended for 5 games without pay by the Brooklyn Nets and has the following humiliating stipulations placed on him:

*Apologize and condemn movie

*$500K donation to anti-hate causes

*Sensitivity training

*Anti-Semitic training

*Meet with ADL, Jewish leaders

Moreover, Kyrie Irving was hit in the pockets by Nike (Inc.) suspending its relationship with Irving and canceling its next Irving-branded shoe release in the aftermath of his tweeting of an anti-Semitic documentary; white corporate men can giveth and taketh away!

Over recent years white celebrities like Madonna, Paris Hilton, Charlie Sheen, Tim Allen, and many-many others have made racist comments, other than apologizing they didn’t have to attend sensitivity training, Anti-Black training, meet with the NAACP/ Black leaders.

In many instances white Jews have the same attitude as white Christians ‘white fragility’ the disbelieving defensiveness that white people exhibit when their ideas about race and racism are challenged and particularly when they feel implicated in white supremacy.

For fragile white Jews any truthful criticism of their racism by Blacks is labeled as anti-Semitic, both Black truthfulness and falsehood regarding Jews is lumped in the same category as anti-Semitic.

Even though NBA star Kyrie Irving’s tweeting a movie controversy was nowhere near on the level as NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s controversial righteous stand of kneeling during game-day National Anthem, they both were castigated! Some lackey Black ex-NBA players were brought out to condemn Irving as was some lackey Black ex-NFL players were brought out to condemn Kaepernick.

Yes, Kyrie Irving and the rest of the Black NBA players can officially ‘superficially’ wear Black Lives Matter and Vote t-shirts but they can’t take real unofficial stances. Black male millionaire professional athletes have less freedom of speech than poverty stricken Black men kicking it on the corner.

What’s clear throughout this country’s history when Black men become controversial on any level they pay a helluva price like no other races of men in America!

Black Men Have A Righteous And Self-Determining Direction In Your Lives